Hidden Desire
by ForeverDreamer12
Summary: (Book 5) *Spoilers for Hidden Sacrifice* About a month has passed since the Overlord's third defeat. The girls' training has begun, and they can't help but think that Sensei's hiding something. Hidden in the dark, Skales has an evil plan to get revenge on the one Ninja who trapped him. However, when his plan backfires, his target's life isn't the only one who's life is in danger.
1. A Dangerous Bargin

**Hello everyone!**

**To celebrate my one-year anniversary AND my birthday, I have begun Hidden Desire!**

**I would like to say that it is AMAZING how far I've come! I have two stories with over 200 reviews?! I would've never thought that would happen! I love you guys so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Funny thing, it just so happens that DeliciouslyDangerous1 also has her birthday today! So wish her a happy b-day too!**

**Jay: Just curious, Ever, but how old are you now?**

**Me: A year older than I was originally.**

**Jay: Err...how old were you originally?**

**Me: A year younger than what I am now.**

**Anna: Forget it, she's never going to tell us.**

**Kai: How many years have you been alive?**

**Me: More than one.**

**Kai: WTF?**

**Anna: I told you.**

**Me: Haha, I'll never tell! (Probably)**

**So, back on topic here, it's been a little over a month since the last events of Hidden Sacrifice. The girls are on Winter Break, and they're staying with the Ninja in the Forest of Tranquility. (Also, Lindsey is now 16. Her birthday was on December 12th. I may write a oneshot about later.)**

**Enjoy~**

**Nya: Ever doesn't own Ninjago, she only owns her plot and OCs.**

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><p><em>~Chapter 1: A Dangerous Bargain~<em>

_-December 18th-_

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><p><em>(Anna's POV)<em>

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><p>"HIIII-YAH!" I slam my foot right into the dummy's gut.<p>

"Very good," Cole says, approaching me. "Just keep your leg a bit straighter."

"I can't!" I groan, annoyed.

"You can," Cole replies. "You just have to believe."

"Don't preach to me, Hence," I grumble.

"Don't call me Hence," he mutters. I sigh, yanking my helmet off and wiping sweat from my brow. I glance over at the others.

Jay is teaching Abigail something about speedily firing a bow, Kai is helping Christy attack another dummy, and Zane is helping Lindsey with throwing accuracy. I watch as he places his hands on her waist and adjusts her standing position. She blushes a little bit, but follows his tips.

"They are sooo lovey-dovey," I complain.

"Who?" Cole asks, looking around.

"Zane and Lindsey," I reply. "Just look at them!"

"Nah," says Cole, watching as Lindsey throws a knife. It sticks on the outside of the target. "They're not lovey-dovey. Jay and Nya are lovey-dovey! Zane and Lindsey are more...more..."

"Attached?" I suggest with a yawn, watching as Abigail nearly pokes Jay in the eye with an arrow.

"Yes!" Cole snaps his fingers. "That's it! Attached!" He then looks at me. "Err...what would you call Christy and I?"

"Hella flirty," I respond with a smirk.

"Thought you'd say something like that," Cole sighs.

"Guys!" Lloyd's voice rings out from across the way. He comes into the clearing, looking a bit hurried. "It's an emergency!"

"Serpentine?!" gasps Jay.

"Blood-sucking bees?!" yelps Abigail.

"They're almost out of Glamor Super Luscious Mascara at Beauty Spot?" cries Christy. Everyone looks at her. "What? Alyssa said that the Glamor Super Luscious Mascara is on sale!"

"You little priss," I groan. She laughs.

"I know it!"

"Lloyd," Zane says, stepping through the group, "what is the real problem?"

"Are you saying that my Glamor Super-?"

"Enough, Christy." Cole folds his arms across his chest and looks at his girlfriend. She falls silent. "You were saying, Lloyd?"

"It's my uncle!" the Green Ninja exclaims. Worry spreads around the group like a wildfire.

"What?" gasps Kai.

"Sensei?" Lindsey whispers.

"He's out of tea!" Lloyd exclaims. The look on his face is so serious that I burst out laughing.

"Are you serious?! The emergency is that the old man ran out of tea? This is ridiculous!"

"Anna..." warns Kai slowly.

"What?" I laugh. "Why am I the only one that finds this hilarious?!"

"You really have to learn to respect Sensei, Anna," Zane says softly.

"Besides!" Jay looks ready to panic. "Who knows how Sensei will act without tea?!"

"Sensei said for me and Cole to choose who goes," Lloyd states.

"Anna, why don't you go?" Cole shoves me forward. "And Kai, go with her. And Jay."

"Whaaat?!" Kai exclaims. "Why me?!"

"It'll be fun!" grins Jay, his mood suddenly light again.

"Riight..." I mumble. "Fun."

Lloyd then bursts out laughing. "Kidding!"

"Are you f*cking kidding me?!" I explode.

"Really Lloyd?" sighs Cole.

"I was bored, okay?" Lloyd explains.

Kai groans. "That's it, Lloyd! I challenge you to a sparring match right now!"

The Green Ninja laughs, grabbing a katana from the weapons barrel. "Bring it on."

"No powers," Kai says, grabbing his own katana.

"Okay, girls, you can take a break," Cole says. "Good work."

"Finally!" I exclaim. I grab my phone from where it lays on a stump. I lean up against a log on the ground and load up Minecraft.

"Ready?!" Jay cries excitedly. I guess he's being the "referee" for this match. Kai and Lloyd take their battle stances. "Set?!" Kai swings his sword around, his eyes glinting. "GO!"

The two boys spring into action. They leap at each other, swords aimed at each other's chests. Kai ducks under his opponent's sword just in time, then jabs his own at Lloyd. Lloyd moves to the left in an attempt to dodge, but it still skims his shoulder armor.

"Go Lloyd!" cheers Abigail. Lloyd grins from behind his helmet, and attacks Kai again.

Christy sits down next to me, throwing her blond ponytail behind her back. "They're amazing, aren't they?"

"I guess," I mumble, watching as Kai does a backflip to avoid Lloyd's slash. "I think they're showing off."

"Just think," Christy sighs. "Someday we'll be as strong as them. Maybe even stronger."

"Like hell we'll be stronger!" I grin. "We'll be able to kick their asses any day!"

Abigail sits down on my other side and pulls out a pack of Sour Patch. "Want some?"

I shake my head and turn my gum over in my mouth.

"I'll take some," Christy smiles, holding out her hand.

"Hey, Lindsey!" Abigail shouts as she drops a red and a yellow Sour Patch into Christy's hand. "Come join us!"

Lindsey looks up from the silver notebook she was holding. "In a minute. Just hold on." She puts her pencil to the paper and scribbles something, then closes the notebook. She takes a seat next to Abigail, and accepts the Sour Patch she gives her.

"So, what's in the notebook?" Christy asks.

"It's not a notebook," Lindsey says.

I wrinkle my nose. "Then what is it?"

"Don't give her that look," Christy scolds me. "It's rude."

"You're not my boss," I grumble.

"It's a sketchbook," Lindsey finally says. "My mom gave it to me. But it's almost full."

"A sketchbook?" Abigail perks up. "Can we see?"

Lindsey shifts the sketchbook in her hands uncomfortably. "Um...well...maybe some other time..."

"That's okay," Christy says. "We get it."

Lloyd yells out a crazy battle cry and attacks Kai again. The Fire Ninja backs up away from the blade, nearly tripping over a root.

"Thank goodness they're wearing armor," Abigail remarks.

"Yeah," Nya says, walking up to us. "We would have multiple concussions and fatal cuts on our hands if they didn't. Those boys are that crazy."

"Sounds legit," I mumble.

Nya sits down next to Christy with a sigh. "Yeah...they may be crazy, but they're strong. And someday, we'll reach their level."

I grin, "Couldn't have said it better myself."

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><p><em>(No POV)<em>

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><p>Skales slithers through the tunnel, his crimson eyes flicking back and forth. He could smell the scent of must and mold lingering in the air. He swipes away a little puddle of water with his tail.<p>

"Sssewersss," he hisses. "Ssso grossss."

"I agree," a voice replies.

Skales whirls around, hissing violently. "Pythor!"

"Ah, hello," Pythor's voice floats back.

"Show yourssself," Skales demands. "I ssstil don't trust you after what you did."

"You want revenge don't you?" Pythor asks, still invisable.

"On you?" Skales questions.

"No," Pythor replies. "You know who I'm talking about... I can give you that revenge..." Skales flicks his forked tongue in and out between his teeth, considering the Anacondrai's offer.

"And if I refussse?"

Pythor sighs, "Then I guess I get all this power to myself...it would be such a shame..."

Skales whirls around, following Pythor's voice as he slithers invisibly through the tunnel. "What power?!"

"You have to accept first."

Skales takes a deep breath, blinking his blood red eyes. He was very reluctant to accept. The offer was so tempting... However, Pythor had betrayed him in the past... But he wanted revenge so bad...he wanted to punish those who foiled his plans...

"I accept..."

"Good...very good..." Pythor smiles a twisted smile as he finally appears behind his fellow serpent.

Skales turns around to face him. "Could you ssstop that? It'sss creepy."

"Stop what? Moving behind you?" Pythor laughs. "Learn to act like a snake, Skales."

"Sssshut up," Skales snarls. "I am not in the mood for messsing around. I want revenge, and you promised to give it!"

"I did," Pythor says. "Oh, Skales...we are going to have so much fun..." He pulls a sack out from under his arm, opens it, and shows its' contents to Skales.

"Is that-?" Skales gapes.

"Yes," Pythor chuckles evilly. "And I can work it, too."

"How-?"

"Do you think I disappeared simply to run away?" The larger serpent laughs evilly. "I collected what I needed, and then left."

An evil smile spreads across Skales' face. "Yesss...thisss isss perfect... I will get my revenge..."

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><p><strong>Sorry if you were bored... I always hate my first chapter... Okay, Blackout was an exception, but still.<strong>

**Good news though for anyone who hasn't seen the two newest episodes! They're coming out on the 26th... I think. I will finally know everything that happens... I am going to cryyyy~**

**I hope you enjoyed this sucky first chapter :P**

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><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out<strong>


	2. The Thought of Doomsday

**Sorry about the long wait: I have a 5 page research paper on the solar system that I need to finish for Science... *sigh* That, and my brain has been in Fairy Tail mode... Any of you that are Fairy Tail fans (and Natsu/Lucy fans), I'd love it if you'd go check out my oneshot collection and story called _Pain of the Past_ (yes, shameless advertising on my part).**

**And to all of you waiting for Revolution, I can't say when I'll have it up. I'm already really busy as it is. I'll try to start it before the end of the year...even though that's a horrible deadline...XD No worries, I won't make you wait that long.**

**...I'll shut up now.**

**Skales: Pleassse do.**

**Kai: You shut up!**

**Lindsey: Ever doesn't own Ninjago!**

**Zane: She only owns the plot!**

**Lindsey: And her OCs :)**

**Zane: :)**

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><p><em>~Chapter 2: The Thought of Doomsday~<em>

_December 18th/19th_

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><p><em>(No POV)<em>

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><p>It was late at night in Ninjago's Forest of Tranquility. It was snowing lightly, snowflakes gently drifting to the ground. A single figure was sitting up in her sleeping bag. She was shaking, but not just from the cold. Tears streaked her cheeks and filled her eyes.<p>

"Again..." she whispers. "Every night...why every night?"

"...Lindsey?" The girl turns her head to her left. The white sleeping bag next to her shifts as it's owner rolls over to face her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Zane," she says softly. "Go back to sleep..."

"Do not lie to me." Zane sits up. "What is troubling you?"

Lindsey looks down at her hands, which are folded in her lap. "It's...well..." She takes a deep breath. "It's a dream..."

"A vision, perhaps?" Zane asks, moving to sit next to her. Lindsey shakes her head.

"No..." She shivers again, more violently this time. Zane notices this, and removes his jacket to drape over her shoulders. "It's...it's a nightmare..." Zane nods, but doesn't say a word.

Lindsey continues. "It's not even really a nightmare...it's more like...a memory...a horrible, twisted memory..."

"Is it about your father?" Zane questions softly. Lindsey nods, fresh tears sliding down her face. Zane looks at her, his face full of sympathy. "Oh, Lindsey..." He pulls her close to him, holding her tight. She sobs into his pajama shirt, curled up against him like a child would to their father. "I love you," he whispers into her hair.

Between sobs, she replies, "I love you too..."

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><p><em>(Anna's POV)<em>

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><p>I suck in a deep breath, slamming my right foot into the ground. It's barely morning, and the sky is a light blue. The ground is covered with pure white snow, dusting the rocks in a beautiful white powder.<p>

Running has always been my passion. The burning sensation in your lungs, the fire in your legs, your heart pounding in your chest... It is the perfect escape from pain. I used to get up every weekend morning and run. When James Bond and Minecraft and crime TV shows failed me, I'd throw on my shoes and run...I'd run for hours on end, until my legs went numb and my lungs felt like they were on fire.

There was one day...one horrible day...a day where I wished I could cease to exist, to disappear. So I ran...following the sun...sunrise to sunset... I never stopped...I ran until my head spun...I ran until I tasted blood, until my sweat soaked me... I ran as far away from home as I could... Then, I watched the sun go down...and then I ran home...I was back by the time the sun rose again... Because that's who I am... I am the distant runner, who follows the horizon, dreaming of a future that I will never have...

Independence... Freedom... Everyone dreams of the day they will have these things...but not me. Because I already have them...and I wish I could be-

"Anna!" My thoughts are cut short by a familiar voice.

"Kai!" I snap, looking behind me, but not losing my pace. The Ninja of Fire is surprisingly keeping up with me, only slightly behind me. "What the **hell**?!"

"Where are you going?" he asks, running along side me.

"Somewhere," I reply. "Now go away."

Kai shakes his head, "Anna...the Serpentine could-"

"Here you go again!" I shout, "Assuming that I can't take care of myself!"

"I know you can," Kai says softly. "It's Sensei, Anna." He sighs, looking up at the snowy treetops. "Anna...can you hear me out for a second?"

I look down at my feet as they hit the ground. Strands of my red-orange hair fall in front of my face. The forest is so peaceful... "Yeah...I guess..."

"Look..." Kai suddenly looks really upset. "There's something I need to tell you...something really important..."

"What?!" I'm starting to feel a bit impatient. I speed up my running pace, forcing Kai to speed up as well.

"Sensei told me something..." Kai says. "He said that you girls will have a huge part in the...the...Doomsday..."

"Doomsday?" I ask, wrinkling my nose.

"Supposedly, there will be darkness like no other," Kai continues. "Even worse than the Overlord..."

"What?!" I laugh. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know..." Kai admits. "But I'm worried..."

"Don't be," I tell him, looking at him. "You're tough. You'll kick ass."

Kai seems surprised. "Did you just-?"

"Did I what?!" I snap. "I said you're tough. So what?! You are! It doesn't mean you win."

"Win what?!" Kai exclaims.

"Um, the 'fight' between us." I roll my eyes. "C'mon, ever since we met, we've hated each other. We've done nothing but argue."

"Why?!" Kai asks suddenly, looking at me.

"Why what, moron?!" I reply sharply, turning my head away from him.

"Why do we always fight?" Kai questions. "We could just at least _try_ to get along."

"What has possessed you?" I ask, picking up my pace. Kai refuses to be left behind, and matches my speed.

"Nothing! I just-" He suddenly skids to a halt. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" I ask, stopping as well.

Kai sighs, "It must've just been my imagination." He looks away from me, sounding almost irritated. "Let's get back to camp."

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><p><em>(Abigail's POV)<em>

The camp was turned from a peaceful camp to a very noisy training area in mere minutes. Targets and dummies were spaced out fairly equally, so no one would end up hurting someone else. The other girls and I held their weapons in hand, standing next to their teacher for the day.

"Try to concentrate on keeping your arms loose," Kai was saying to Christy. "You don't want to be tense, otherwise you won't be able to dodge your enemies' attackes."

"Right," Christy replies, pushing her bangs out of her face. "I think I understand now."

"In order to strike before they do, you've got to be light on your feet," Jay tells Lindsey from their section of the clearing. "Speed can be crucial in times like this."

"Focus on relaxing your mind, not your body," Zane instructs Anna.

"I'm trying!" Anna shouts, obviously angry. "Look, robo-man, I can't do this meditation shit!"

"This is not mediation," Zane sighs, somehow still able to keep his cool.

"Jeez," Lloyd rolls his gorgeous violet eyes. "I don't know how Zane stands it."

"Yeah," Nya replies. "Anna is awfully rough, with both her words and her actions."

"Students!" Sensei Wu's voice rings out from above them. He stands on the Bounty's deck. "Line up, please, I'm coming down."

"Yes Sensei." I bow along with the others, and we line up in two rows of five. The front row consisted of Zane, Lindsey, Nya, Jay, and Kai. The back row was Lloyd, Abigail, Anna, Christy, and Cole.

"I have something important to tell you all," Sensei says as he approaches them with Misako, Julien, and Garmadon.

"Is it Kozu?!" Jay asks suddenly, for some reason looking angry.

"No," Sensei replies.

"Please don't let it be the Serpentine!" cries Christy.

"Or another prophecy!" Lindsey adds.

"Yeah, we're not ready!" I agree.

Sensei sighs, then smiles, even though it is obviously forced. "No, it is not the Serpentine."

"Lying bastard," mutters Anna, just loud enough for me to hear. "Doesn't he understand that I can tell when people are lying? What, does he think we're hopeless?"

"I simply wanted to talk about a new training routine that we will be starting in a week or two," Sensei continues. "We will be..."

Sensei's voice begins to fade in my mind when I hear something move above my head. I look upwards into the tree. Perched on top of a branch, is a squirrel. A cute, fluffy, bushy-tailed squirrel. My emerald green eyes widen. Even though squirrels can be dangerous (rabies and all that), I've always wanted to pet one.

It looks down at me with it's dark eyes, and then quickly scampers away, running down the trunk and onto the ground. I chase it through the forest, forgetting all about Sensei and the others. I want to pet that squirrel. I _need_ to pet that squirrel.

"Stop," I say gently. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." The squirrel freezes in it's tracks, and turns to look at me with it's big eyes. "There you go..." I whisper soothingly, stepping towards it. "My name's Abigail." The squirrel nudges it's nose against a snow flower. I giggle, and bend down so I'm at it's level. "How 'bout I name you Blossom?" The squirrel chitters, as if it understood me. I reach forward with a cautious hand, and slowly touch her head. She nuzzles her nose against my hand.

I laugh, "That tickles!" Blossom pulls back, as if afraid she hurt me. "No, it's okay..." I tell her. She suddenly squeaks, as if in fear, and runs into my jacket pocket. "Blossom? What's wro-" I cut my own sentence off with a scream, which is silenced as a rough hand covers my mouth.

I thrash, trying to remember my training, but the only thing that comes to mind is when Lloyd commented that I should wear my hair down sometime, and I playfully hit him in the shoulder with my braid in response. My captor pushes a knife to my throat.

"Abigail Stafford," the voice says. "You will tell us everything you know about Anna Nicoli Boylend."

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><p><strong>Uh oh! Looks like Abigail got herself in a bit of a pinch! And what do they want with Anna?<strong>

**Guess you'll have to wait and see XD**

**Please leave a review! They always brighten my day :) And vote on my poll too :)**

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><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!<strong>


	3. Search Party

**Hello!**

**...I still exist. XD **

**I have a long list of excuses, but that doesn't change the fact that I feel HORRIBLE pulling a disappearing act. Not only have I been sick for an entire flipping week, but I accidentally deleted half this chapter THREE TIMES. I have no idea how I made the same mistake that many times, but I'm so mad. I really liked the 2nd one, too...**

**Anyhoo, I'll stop my babbling. Enjoy.**

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><p><em>~Chapter 3: Search Party~<em>

_December 19th_

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><p><em>(Lloyd's POV)<em>

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><p>As my Uncle blabs on about some sort of new training program, my mind forces me from listening. For some reason, I keep hearing Pythor's voice in my head, taunting me, laughing at me. He keeps breaking my concentration, his voice echoing in my mind. <em>("You should've died when fighting the Overlord.")<em> I want him to stop haunting me, leave me alone. _("This is the kind of show I like to see!")_ No...please...leave me alone... _("Well, hello, again, Lloyd. It's been awhile.")_ Just stop...I've had enough of you..._ ("Oh, tut-tut, you won't even let me introduce yourself to your girlfriend?")_

"**LEAVE ME ALONE**!"

I suddenly feel the eyes of my teammates on me, staring straight at me with concern. "Hey, you okay?" Jay asks, but I ignore him.

"Lloyd?" Nya says softly.

"Nephew, please, talk to me," Uncle says, walking over to me. I see Mom and Dad follow him, worry flooding their faces.

"It's nothing..." I reply. "I just zoned out. Keep going, Uncle."

"Are you sure, Son?" Dad asks.

"Why don't we go talk?" Mom suggests, placing a hand on my shoulder. Somehow, she can see right through me. I nod silently, and she leads me and Dad to the Bounty. Ever since we started training here, the only time we're aloud on the Bounty is for meals. Sensei wants us to get more in tune with nature, and get the girls used to the harsh conditions we may have to deal with in the future. Yes, we encountered a similar problem back during the whole Christy/Nya fiasco, but that was back in the tail end of summer. It was still warm then.

Mom and Dad take me to their room, and shut the door behind them. Their faces are still etched with lines of concern as they study my expression.

"What's wrong, Lloyd?" Mom asks gently. I take a deep breath.

"It's...it's Pythor..." I whisper.

"Pythor?" Dad echos, confused. "What about him?"

"He's...inside my head..."

I watch their expressions carefully. Mom horrified, and Dad looks taken aback. "Lloyd..."

"He won't leave me alone!" I cry. "He already bothered me as a child! I had nightmares of him following me and attacking me because of that one time he tied me up! It may seem silly, but I don't know all he's capable of! He could be here, right now, watching me! Maybe I'm not even hearing him in my head, and he's whispering these things in my ear!"

"...Lloyd, Pythor's dead," Dad says softly. I freeze, remembering that Dad did not know that Pythor was part of the cave incident.

"You're right," I say, trying not to sound guilty. "I know he is. I just...am a little bothered sometimes, that's all." I watch as my parents' worry turns to suspicion. I've never been good at hiding things, but I really blew it this time.

"Son..." Dad speaks at last, looking straight at me. My heart is pounding. He's going to find out...but why am I even hiding this from him? Is it because I want to look strong? Could it be that I-

My thoughts are suddenly cut off by a loud knocking on the door, followed by Cole's voice. "Lloyd! Abigail's missing! We need your help!"

"Abigail?!" I leap off my parents' bed and run to the door in a flash, leaving Mom and Dad behind. I run out the door, and Cole keeps pace with me. "Fill me in."

"We don't know what happened," he replies. "She's just...gone. There's no evidence of where she went, either. The others are trying to find her as we speak."

I set a determined look on my face. "Count me in."

When we arrive in the clearing, the rest of the team is scouring the area for any possible clues about Abigail's disappearance. Christy is calling Abigail's name over and over into the forest, hoping for an answer. Zane is scanning the ground, with Lindsey looking at Abigail's sleeping bag nearby.

"No answer," Christy sighs worriedly, turning around. "She must be really far out."

"Don't worry, Christy," Nya says, wiping some snow off of her jacket. "Abigail tends to think before she acts. My own brother is like that, and from what I know, Abigail will come back."

"Are you saying that I'm reckless and impulsive?" Kai shouts.

"Yes, I'm saying exactly that." Kai opens his mouth, probably about to say a witty retort, only for Zane to butt in.

"Kai, it would be illogical to protest. Nya is absolutely correct."

Kai throws his hands up into the air, "What is this, 'Let's Bash Kai's Self Esteem Day'?!"

"Sounds like fun," Anna smirks.

"So, why would Abigail run off?" asks Christy, cutting into the conversation.

"Knowing her, she probably followed a squirrel or something," Anna groans.

"Maybe it was a flying squirrel!" Jay chuckles.

"Would you stop it?!" I snap suddenly. "You're all goofing off, and Abigail's missing! She's MISSING!"

"We know that, Lloyd," Jay says. "It's a good thing to stay positive when the going gets rough."

At that, I lose it. "Says the person who got **DEPRESSED** when Nya disappeared!"

Somebody in the group gasps. All eyes fall on Jay and I, watching us carefully. The only sound I could hear was the wind blowing in my ears. I was slightly out of breath from my sudden run, and yelling didn't help. I watch as my breath creates a white mist in front of me, reacting to the cold.

Jay trembles a bit, looking fearful. His right hand slowly touches his left shoulder, as if remembering the pain in his scar from many months ago. Everyone's looking at him now, waiting for his reaction. "You're right..." Jay says softly, shocking everyone. "I was a fool back then...I let my emotions get the best of me... But still, Lloyd... She was gone for a way longer time than Abigail's been gone, and I've known Nya for way longer... It hurt a lot, you know?"

I glance down at my feet. "Yeah...I understand."

Cole clears his throat, startling everyone. "We should make a search party."

"Not a bad idea," Christy agrees, trying to help dissipate the tension in the air.

"Hmm..." Cole looks at the team as if trying to decide who to send. "Lloyd, Zane, I'm definitely sending you two." Zane nods, and I mutter under my breath,

"You better send me..."

"And I'm thinking Anna..." Cole continues. "Since you know her best. And Kai, too."

"Why me?" Kai asks, evidently confused.

"You think like she does," Cole responds, folding his arms across his chest.

"Not this again..." groans Kai.

"Shut up," Anna snaps, reaching for her daggers. "We need to head out." For a second, I swear I see concern flash across her face, but it was then gone as quick as it came. I sigh to myself. She's become so good at hiding her emotions that sometimes I wonder if she even remembers how to show them.

"Okay," I tell them. "I'm ready. Let's go find Abigail."

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><p><strong>Ugh. I feel like that chapter sucked... I felt like Jay and Lloyd were OOC... Well, I'm my own worst critic... *sigh*<strong>

**Oh, I finally saw the finale to Ninjago! *sighs in relief* It wasn't as bad as I expected. I mean, they executed Zane's death well, and I loved the whole Jay-fanboy thing XD Of course, there were many things I didn't like, but I didn't loathe this with a passion. But, knowing me, I'll end up hating this later on too. I mean, at first, I really liked Rebooted. Then the love triangle happened, and I began to realize how Lego truly was destroying it...**

**Anyways! The poll for favorite SSS couple is still on my profile! The current results are this: Kai and Anna are leading by a MILE with 4, while Lloyd and Abigail trail with 2, and Zane and Lindsey have 1.**

**Cole: What about me and Christy?**

**Me: ...**

**Everyone else: ...**

**Me: MOVING ON! Thanks for reading, please leave a review!**

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><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!<strong>


	4. Doubts

**Hey everyone!**

**So, I went back and edited quite a few chapters in the beginning of Hidden Sacrifice (Chapters 1-8). You don't have to go back and read them, but I'd thought I'd let you know just in case you wanted to. They won't be changed that much, I just added more description, fixed mistakes, and changed some of the dialogue (mostly Elijah's and Anna's) to make it seem more in-character. (Also, if I get the chance, I might rewrite major parts of the first three books to get my OCs in-character. I'll let you all know if I decide to.)**

**Also, to any of you that haven't seen it, the Revolution Prologue is out! Take a look on my profile to find it :)**

**Anyways, here we go!**

**Kai: Ever doesn't own Ninjago!**

**Jay: And she never will!  
><strong>

**Cole: But she owns the plot!**

**Lloyd: And her OCs!**

**Zane: Enjoy!**

**Me: ...I am very tempted to kill you right now for talking after the disclaimer, Zane, but because it was a kind comment I'll let it slide.**

**Everyone: *shocked***

**Kai: Who are you, and what have you done with Ever?**

**Me: BUT I WON'T FORGIVE THAT!**

**Kai: NEVERMIND! *runs away***

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><p><em>Chapter 4: Doubts<em>

_December 19th_

* * *

><p><em>(No POV)<em>

* * *

><p>The silence in the forest was unnerving. The only sound the search party heard besides their feet crunching in the snow was the sound of their breath passing through their lips. Still, none of the them spoke to break the silence in fear that they may miss an important clue. With the threat of the snake returning looming over their head, they kept all senses alert.<p>

One of their own was missing. Whether she was talking a walk or cowering in jail cell, she was still separated. The entire team knew that they had to find her, no matter the cost.

Anna's hands twitched from where they rested on the hilt of her daggers. She was anticipating a fight, and itching to use what little skills she recently learned. To her right, Kai's mind is filled with questions. For some reason, he's remembering back to when Anna dented the table. How had she done it? What was she hiding?

On Anna's left, Lloyd's brain is going crazy as well. He couldn't believe that Abigail would just leave like that...what was she thinking? It was dangerous out there, and she wasn't ready to face the enemy alone.

On Lloyd's other side, Zane has his scanners set to high, searching every inch of the snowy forest for anything relating to their missing friend. The cold around him made him feel at ease, unlike Kai who seemed incredibly tense.

The silence between the team was then shattered like glass as a loud, bird-like shriek echoes through the trees. Zane's eyes glow light blue, and his expression changes from pondering to hopeful.

"Quickly," he says to his friends as the glow fades. "My Falcon has found something."

Without saying a word, the three teens followed their robotic friend deeper into the forest. Fear was written all over his face, worrying for Abigail's safety. Lloyd's hand grasps his katana, his violet eyes swirling with emotion.

Zane pushes his way through some thick brambles, revealing a trail of footprints in the snow. The Falcon sits on a tree branch, awaiting Zane's orders.

"Are they...?" Lloyd's voice trails off.

"Do any of you, by any chance, know her shoe size?" Zane asks, tracing one of the footprints with his right pointer finger.

"Her feet are slightly smaller than mine," Anna says, making a print next to one of the other ones.

"Just a bit smaller..." Zane murmurs, looking at the two. He looks up at the redhead. "Good work, Anna."

"I'm doing it for her, and that's it," Anna replies harshly.

"Anna," Kai says gently as they begin to follow Abigail's footprints. "Is there something about Abigail that you're not telling us? You just seem very protective of her all the time..."

"Yes," Anna snaps. "Besides Cassie, I'm her only friend. That, and she helped me a long time ago, so I'm returning the favor."

"Who Cassie?" Lloyd asks at the same time as Kai says, "What did she help you with?"

"Do not force her to tell you," Zane tells them. "If she wants to share, she will."

"Thanks, Mr. Roboto," Anna says flatly, "but I could've said that myself."

Surprisingly, Zane shows no sign of offense, and simply nods. The other two boys shake their heads, wondering how he dealt with her attitude.

The foliage began to thin as the footsteps continued on. The team walked in silence once more, all of them hoping for their friend's safety.

Suddenly, Zane stopped in his tracks. "Oh no..."

"What is it?" Lloyd asks, trying to see over his taller friend's shoulder.

"The prints stop here," Zane indicates a spot on the ground, "and a new set start here." He points to a set of very oddly shaped footprints.

"Looks like she was ambushed," Kai frowns, studying the second pair of footprints.

"This...complicates things..." Zane says slowly. "We do not know who we are dealing with. It could be the Serpentine, the Stone Army, or someone else entirely."

"Pythor," Lloyd growls, curling his right hand into a fist. "It's got to be him. He was taunting her back in the cave..."

"Highly probable," Zane sighs.

"That _bastard_..." Lloyd snarls.

"Well, our best bet is following the rest of these footprints," Kai says.

"Stay alert," Zane tells the rest of the team. "You never know what could occur."

"Don't let anything take you by surprise," Kai adds.

"Don't worry, Abigail," Lloyd mutters to himself, a dangerous tone to his voice. "I'm coming for you."

* * *

><p><em>(Cole's POV)<em>

I sit on top of a rock, my chin resting on my hands. I watch as Christy, Lindsey, and Nya take turns throwing knives at a target. I don't see Jay anywhere, which is weird. In fact, I don't even HEAR him, which worries me even more.

"Hey Cole, you okay?!" I jump at the sound of my friend's voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but how did you sneak up on me like that?" I ask.

"Practicing being quiet," Jay tells me. "Nya told me that it's because I'm a bit too noisy we've been caught on missions multiple times, so I'm trying to work on it."

I sigh, "That reminds me, Jay... There is something bothering me..."

"What's that?" Jay asks, sitting on another rock near mine.

"This is going to sound really weird, but I need dating advice," I tell him. Jay's green eyes widen.

"Wow, first Zane and now you? It's like I'm turning into an advice column!"

"Very funny," I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can you be serious for a second?"

"Yeah, sure..." Jay's face turns serious. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened in particular," I tell him. "I just feel like Christy and I aren't being true to ourselves..."

"Huh?" The expression Jay gives me would best be compared to a gorilla's.

"I don't think either one of us is acting like ourselves around each other," I admit. "I feel like we're both acting... The shameless flirting, the sappy words...it's like it's come straight from a romantic comedy. That can't be the way relationships are, Jay... It just doesn't feel natural..."

Jay nods slowly. "Yeah..." He ponders the matter for a moment, then continues. "Maybe you should tell her this, Cole. Being open with each other is a HUGE part of a relationship... I learned that the hard way..."

"Thanks, Jay..." I say softly. "I will... I promised I would take her out soon, so maybe I could bring it up then?"

"Good idea," Jay nods. "Just don't mention it right away, take your time."

Suddenly, a scratching sound comes through my walkie-talkie, startling both of us. "C-Cole? Are you...bad connection...footprints...still missing...cave"

"Kai?" I ask. "What's wrong? Do you need backup?"

"...No...we were just..."

"I'm losing you," I tell him. "We'll see you soon."

"..." Static is my only reply. I sigh, placing the device back on the rock.

"What were we saying?" I ask Jay.

"I think we just finished up," he replies, standing up. "I need to talk to Sensei about something. See you later."

"Okay, bye." I watch as he leaves the clearing, climbs the chain, and disappears into the Bounty's bridge. I shut my eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. These past few days have been insanely busy...

I glance over to where Christy stands with the other two girls, laughing joyfully. An overwhelming sense of dread sets in my stomach like a rock, and I begin to wonder if she's just playing with my heart, just like she supposedly has done to others in the past...

* * *

><p><em>(Lloyd's POV)<em>

I know one thing for certain about Abigail's captor: they are horrible at hiding. All the evidence remains, each footfall in the snow imprinted in detail. I recognize the pattern, even if the other do not. Those lines in the 'sole' of the print are no simple design—they are the scales of a Serpentine. This means that Pythor is almost definitely behind this. I'm going to hunt him down...and I'm going to kill him...

I watch as Anna says something to Kai, rolling her eyes at him, and I abruptly remember what I said to Anna when she almost killed Acidicus back in the Temple of Futures...

_"When we fight the Serpentine, we fight to protect Ninjago. We don't murder in cold blood. Leave him be. He's already hurt and scared. We have more important things to deal with."_

I swallow. Am I turning into a bloodthirsty monster? Am I becoming just as bad as the Serpentine themselves?

"Lloyd?" Zane's voice shatters my thoughts, and I turn towards him.

"What?!" I say, my voice coming out unintentionally harsh and sharp.

"I'm sensing something nearby..." Zane studies my face. "I think it's Abigail..."

"Already?!" I exclaim. "Thank the First Spinjitzu Master!" I shove Zane out of the way and push past a squabbling Kai and Anna.

"Oi!" Anna snaps. "Watch it!"

"Yeah, Lloyd, what was that for?" Kai says angrily. I ignore both of them and duck under a low tree branch. In front of me is a clearing covered in a blanket of snow. And lying on the pillow of white is no other than Abigail.

"Abi!" I cry, rushing towards her. She opens one forest green eye to look at me.

"Lloyd..." she whispers weakly. Her eyes seem glazed over, as if in pain. "You're here..."

"Yeah..." I reply. "C'mon, get up, we should get back to camp."

Abigail shivers from the cold. "I...I can't..." Her lip trembles, and one crystal-clear tear falls from her eye.

"What...?"

"Hurts..." she whispers. It is then that I notice the horrible scorch marks all over her skin and clothes.

"Who did this to you?" I ask her angrily, kneeling down next to her. I hear the crunching sounds of my friend's footsteps behind me as they enter the clearing.

"I...I don't know..." she sobs. "I...I don't remember..." She opens both eyes, tears flooding her cheeks. "Lloyd...I...I'm scared..."

"Don't be," I tell her shakily, helping her up. "Whoever did this to you, I will personally deal with them, okay?"

She nods slowly. "Okay..."

I look her deep in the eyes. "It's a promise. And when I make a promise, I see it through until the end."

* * *

><p><strong>I know it seems like I'm focusing on LloydAbigail here, but Kai/Anna will still be the main focus, just wait :)**

**Just curious, how many of you have seen/read Phantom of the Opera? (book, movie, and the play/musical count). I know it seems like a random question, but I'm considering doing something Fanfiction-y with it for either this fandom or Fairy Tail, and I'm wondering how many of you have seen it...**

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed~**

* * *

><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!<strong>


	5. Hiding Something

**Hello~**

**Here is your Christmas present from me: a fast update! :D**

**I hope you all enjoy!**

**Anna: Ever doesn't own Ninjago.**

**Christy: But she owns the plot and OCs!**

**Kai: Derp.**

**Me: DO YOU EVER LEARN?**

**Kai: CRAP!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 5: Hiding Something<em>

_December 19th_

* * *

><p><em>(Lindsey's POV)<em>

* * *

><p>My hands will not stop shaking.<p>

Abigail's wounds are horrible, and mostly burns. Whenever anyone asks her what happened, she bursts into tears and says, "I don't know". We all stopped bothering her about it when she fell asleep. By the looks of her wounds, I don't think this was an accident. In fact, it looks like it was on purpose.

"It's even too precise to be from a battle," I tell Zane as I wrap up a burn on her wrist.

Zane's face furrows in worry. "Are you saying...?"

"Torture..." I say softly. "But what for?"

"Everything about this is unclear," Zane sighs. "We would need more evidence." He stands up from where he's seated on a chair, pours a glass of water, and passes it to me. I take it gratefully, and gulp down half the glass. "Lloyd's convinced it's Pythor, but he has no real evidence to back it up."

"Poor Abigail," I say softly, dipping a bloodied rag into the small water dish. "It's not fair that she had to go through this..."

"It's not fair that the four of you girls have to deal with our enemies," Zane replies, sitting back down.

"Oh, don't pull the whole 'protective boyfriend' thing on me again," I sigh. "It was bad enough that one time when I slipped on some ice and you freaked out."

Confused, Zane shakes his head. "No, this has nothing to do with me, Lindsey. You four lived ordinary lives, with no interaction with the Serpentine at all, and yet, you still got dragged into it..."

"Zane," I turn to look him in the eyes. "It was the same way with you the other boys."

He blinks, looking surprised. "I suppose you are right..." With a sigh, he stands up again. "I will see you later, love, I promised Jay I would help him with something."

"Alright," I reply. "See you later." He smiles at me, obviously wishing he could stay, and leaves the room. He really does enjoy watching me work. I sigh, touching one of her burns with my finger.

"Hmm..." I mutter. "I need to disinfect that..." I reach for the soaked rag to clean the blood off, and turn back to the wound. I wipe the blood away slowly and gently, not wanting to hurt her.

I hold back a gasp. Where there used to be a horrible, terrible burn, there was simply a long, thin scar. All of a sudden, I have an extreme headache, and I feel dizzy. Panicking, I swallow the entire rest of the water Zane brought me, but it doesn't help at all. My stomach churns. My heart is pounding from fear. What is going on?

I do the first thing that comes to my mind, "ZANE!"

* * *

><p><em>(Zane's POV)<em>

* * *

><p>"Well, first of all," I tell Jay, "this wire is not connected."<p>

Jay squints, trying to see into the dark space. "Nya, pass me the penlight." She nods, and hands it to him. He places it between his teeth, and shines it into the crack. He tries to say something, but because the light is in his mouth, it comes out more like, "Yur rye!"

Nya giggles, and I shake my head. "Please speak English, my friend."

Jay yanks the light out of his mouth, "Sorry... Anyways, you're right, Zane, it's not attached."

"That explains it," Nya sighs. "No wonder it wasn't working."

"The mech should be as good as new," Jay grins.

"No, there is one more thing," I cut in. "You are missing a-"

Suddenly, a loud, high-pitched scream cuts through my sentence, "ZANE!"

"Uh oh..." mutters Jay.

"Lindsey!" I gasp, dropping the wrench I was holding. "Excuse me, I have to go!" Within seconds, I was already out the door. I shove past a confused Christy, who was talking to Anna, and run down the hallway.

I nearly run into Kai, who says loudly, "Why do I keep getting run into?!"

"Sorry!" I shout over my shoulder, finally reaching the medical room. The door is still open, so I just go straight in.

Lindsey lies on the floor, holding her head and gasping in pain. When she sees me, a smile spreads across her face. "You're here..."

"What happened?" I ask, falling to my knees next to her.

"No clue..." she whispers. "But...Zane...look at Abigail's left arm..." Very slowly I stand up and walk over to the injured girl. My jaw drops.

"But...but how?" I stammer, looking at Lindsey again.

Lindsey shakes her head, tears in her eyes, "I don't know..."

"Lindsey," a voice says from the door. "Don't move." I turn around to face Misako, who looks incredibly worried.

"What happened?" I ask her, since she appears to know what's going on.

"I feared this would happen," Misako says softly. "Lindsey...go get a bit of sleep, okay? I'll deal with Abigail."

I pick Lindsey up gently, "No worries, Misako, I'll help her out."

"Thank you, Zane," she replies.

"Come on," I say to Lindsey softly. "You need to lie down."

"Thank you," she whispers, looking up at me.

I smile, "You are most definitely welcome." We reach the girl's bedroom, and I set her down on her bed. "Sleep well."

"I will," she mumbles, and drifts off to sleep almost immediately.

I exit the room, looking back at her worriedly before I leave. I go back to the medical room, and find Misako with her back turned to me. "Misako?"

Startled, the older woman nearly drops whatever she was holding. "Zane."

"What happened to Lindsey?" I ask her, narrowing my eyes. "You know something, do you not?"

"She'll be better after some rest," Misako turns away from me again, "she must've just not gotten much sleep last night."

"You're lying," I say to her. "You could have just said that to my face, but you turned around...and I heard the hesitation in your voice."

Misako sighs, her shoulders sagging. "Zane...please forget about this..."

"You expect me to forget this?" I snap. "Lindsey was lying on the floor, **in pain**, for no apparent reason at all, and you expect me to forget about it?!"

"It's for the better," Misako replies. "You will found out in time."

"I keep hearing that everywhere," I say softly. "I'll know in time... What is so important that it must be kept secret?"

"Please leave, Zane," Misako replies.

"Fine," I tell her coldly, "I will. But if this happens again, you will have some explaining to do." With that, I leave the room, slamming the door shut behind me.

* * *

><p>(Kai's POV)<p>

* * *

><p>After getting pushed around by Zane of all people, I head to the deck. Christy and Anna seem to be in an argument, which doesn't surprise me since the two of them are still very different from one another. In fact, before they were here, they hated each other.<p>

"It's not MY fault this happened!" Christy is saying angrily. "If anything, YOU were the one that screwed up!"

"Can you f*cking shut up?!" Anna shouts. "Don't you understand?! This has nothing to with you or me screwing up! The Ninja aren't telling us something, so I doubt we can tr-" In that moment, she sees me standing there, watching the two of them. Her hazel eyes narrow. "What are you looking at?"

"We're not telling you what?" I ask, stepping closer to her.

"Nothing!" she snaps. "It's none of your business. Now leave us alone!"

"Not happening," I say coolly, folding my arms across my chest.

Obviously angry, Anna curls her left hand into a fist and aims at my face. I hold out out my hand, slightly cupped, and stop the blow. "You know, you're going to have to be faster if you're going to hit me. Also, use your dominant hand."

"This is my dominant hand," Anna snarls. "I'm left handed, you ass."

"Sorry," I say sarcastically.

Anna's face turns red. "Speaking of my hand, can you let go now?!" I drop her fist, staring her straight in the eyes. In one swift motion, she tries swinging at my stomach, but I grab onto her arm.

"I'm not some schoolboy picking a fight," I tell her. "Again, you're going to have to do better than that."

"S-Shut up!" she screams, yanking her arm out of my grasp. She whirls on her heel and storms off the deck.

"You know, Kai," Christy says. I jump, forgetting that she was even there. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Shut up," I reply, and walk into the bridge, leaving a laughing Christy behind.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was so much fun to write... Good ol' Zandsey full, and an awesome Kanna scene XD<strong>

**What do you think happened to Lindsey? It's very mysterious... *cape swish***

**Please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you :)**

**Kai: *singing* We wish you a Merry-**

**Me: Not now, Kai.**

**Pythie: *singing* ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE-**

**Me: NO! THAT SONG IS THE WORST CHRISTMAS SONG EVER! *sobs* I HAD TO LISTEN TO IT ON A LOOP ONE TIME IT WAS HORRIBLE... T-T *faints***

**Everyone else: O-o**

**Garmy: She's gone off the deep end.**

**Anna: Someone call the funny farm.**

**Jay: HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM US, FANS!**

**Abigail: EAT LOTS OF SUGAR!**

**Pythie: AND DON'T FORGET TO GIVE YOUR RELATIVES GAG-GIFTS!**

**Lloyd: Maybe there's an untold story about how the Anacondrai died...**

**Cole: On that disturbing note, one of us should sign off for Ever.**

**Kai: Nah! We should hack into her account and write stories of us making her go through everything she did to us! She does say that she has dreams of us hunting her down because she tortures us so much!**

**Jay: *gasps* We can stab her!**

**Kai: TWICE! Remember, she stabbed me too!**

**Jay: No, THREE TIMES! She stabbed me in-**

**Nya: SPOILERS!**

**Elijah: I could possess her!**

**Cole: ...I am disturbed. Also, didn't you leave?**

**Elijah: Uh...note that Pythor and the Overlord are here...**

**Cole: Touche.**

**Jay and Kai: *evil laugh***

**Lindsey: ...This is a bad idea...**

**Zane: ...That creepiness aside, enjoy your holiday :)**

**Me: *opens one eye* Did I hear something about hacking my account?**

**Kai and Jay: NO NOT AT ALL!**

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><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.<strong>


	6. Preperation

**Hey there. Sorry about my huge break...I had an awful case of writer's block. That, and Fairy Tail is a black hole sucking me in...I have no idea how many episodes I've watched in the last few days, but it's over 20... O-o I so wish I could rant about it right now, because there's a thing they could do that I'm not sure is the right thing to do or not... *mumbles* stupid Eclipse you make no sense...**

**Shutting up now. XD**

**Jay: Ever doesn't own Ninjago at all! Zip! Zero! Nada!**

**Christy: She owns the plot and OCs, though.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 6: Preperation<br>_

_December 19_

* * *

><p><em>(Cole's POV)<em>

* * *

><p>Ever since my conversation with Jay, I've been doubting everything Christy says or does. Every wink feels fake, and every sentence seems like a lie. I've been attempting to keep my distance from her, not wanting to accidentally say something to her that makes things awkward. But I'll have to face the music eventually...<p>

"Hey, Cole?" I look up at Kai, who stands in front of me with a deep frown on his face. "Have you seen Anna anywhere?"

"Now that you mention it, no," I admit, watching as his expression turns from neutral to concerned. "Why?"

"Great," Kai groans, not answering my question. "Don't tell me she's run off again..."

"Kai!" Jay's voice calls. "No one's seen Anna in the last fifteen minutes!" Kai turns around when Jay approaches him. "Sorry, man, but she's gone missing."

"What's with people and going missing?" I ask, frowning.

"I'm thinking she's going for another run..." Kai turns to the Ninja of Lightning. "C'mon, Jay, I could use your help."

"Uh, where are going?" squeaks Jay as Kai grabs his arm.

"To find Anna," Kai replies. "We don't want something to happen to her like what happened to Abigail."

"That would be bad," I sigh.

"That's an understatement," Jay mumbles under his breath. As the two head off towards the edge of the camp, I spot Christy making her way down the Bounty's ramp. Her blonde hair is tied behind her head in a loose bun, strands falling in front of her face. She looks exhausted and a bit upset. Slowly I stand up from my seat on the stump, about to make my way to the other edge of the camp.

Her voice stops me, "Cole?"

I turn my head towards her as she makes her way over to me, "Yes?"

She bits her lip, "Are you mad at me or something?" I swallow. I should have expected her to ask this...

"No," I admit. "I just was thinking...maybe we could go out tonight?"

Her face lights up. "Finally!" she laughs. "I'd love to. Where would we go?"

"I've got a place in mind," I tell her. "But it's a surprise, okay?"

"Got it," she replies. "I'll see you tonight then...what time?"

"It's almost 6 now, so maybe...7:30?"

"Sounds good!" She turns away, preparing to return to the Bounty. "See you then!"

"Bye," I reply softly, watching as she walks back up the ramp. I hang my head, suddenly feeling guilty. I could just be doubting her for no reason...but at the same time...there could be something up.

"I guess I should go get ready..." I mumble, making my way towards the Bounty as well.

* * *

><p><em>(Kai's POV)<em>

* * *

><p>"This should be easy," Jay says, pointing at the snow. "Her footprints are right here."<p>

"Yeah, which would make it easy for an enemy to track her down," I reply stiffly, folding my arms across my chest. "We need to keep moving."

"Okay, jeez," Jay mumbles, walking forwards once more. We walk in silence for a little while, the footprints our guide. I kept all senses alert, trying to listen for any suspicious sounds. The bitter wind rustles through the trees' bare branches and bites at our skin. Shivering slightly, I bit down on my lip. The cold doesn't matter right now.

"Did you hear that?" Jay asks, breaking the silence.

"Hear what?!" I reply. "All I hear is wind."

"Footsteps!" Jay answers, rushing forwards. I follow him, picking up my pace to run next to him. Our boots crunch in the pure white snow underneath our feet.

"Shit!" I hear a familiar voice swear. "Great, just great..." I shove a tree branch aside, following the voice. Jay and I step around a tree and find Anna kneeling on the ground in just her t-shirt and shorts.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I shout, approaching her. "Who in their right mind would go running off in a snowy forest _alone_ wearing summer clothes?! You're going to freeze to death!"

"Oh, it's you," she replies, sounding bored. "Can't you tell when I want to be alone?"

"I don't f*cking care," I reply harshly, stepping up beside her. "Get up out of the snow before you catch a cold."

"Go away." She turns her head away from me, her orange-red hair barely moving in the breeze.

"No." I fold my arms across my chest and stand my ground. "There's no way I'm leaving you like this."

"I said GO AWAY!" Anna shouts, whirling around. Her left hand slaps me across the cheek, startling me. _She landed a hit. _My cheek feels surprisingly warm and wet, stinging slightly from the impact. Jay yelps like a wounded animal, but I ignore him. Slowly, I reach my left hand up to touch my cheek where she hit me. I pull my hand away, getting a bad feeling in my chest.

My hand is covered with red, sticky blood. My eyes widen as I notice that there's blood on the snow as well, in the shape of a hand print.

"Anna!" I roar. "Who did this?!"

"No one did!" she cries. "Now leave!"

"No!" I grab her wrist with my left hand, smearing blood on her skin. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!"

"I tripped!" she shouts, her face turning pink. "I tripped, and I scraped my hand on that rock!" She points to a sharp rock stained with crimson on the ground. "Happy now?!"

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?!"

"Guys, shut up!" Both of us whirl around to face Jay, who stands frozen next to the tree.

"What is it?" I snap. "Can't you see that-"

"Shut. Up!" Jay cries. I fall silent.

"What?!" Anna asks, irritated.

"Behind you..." Jay whispers.

I drop Anna's wrist, shaking slightly. Very slowly I turn my head around, fearing for what may be behind me. My blood runs cold as I hear Anna whisper, "_Shit_, we're screwed..."

"But..." I gasp out. "That's...that's impossible..."

* * *

><p><strong>CLIFFHANGERS FOR THE WIN!<strong>

**I apologize for the freakishly short chapter. Writer's block, homework, and just the lack of other things to say in this chapter prevented me from writing more. That aside, I hope you enjoyed :)**

**Also! I now have 44 stories! 6 more and I'm at 50! *almost faints* I can't even form words for this...even the thesaurus won't help now... But thank you all so much for supporting me! I'm sure I'll get over the shock by the time I actually reach 50 and spazz for a few hours straight, but you know...life. XD**

* * *

><p><strong>~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!<strong>


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